At another Stage

     This part of the room was known as The Stage. The horizontal part used to extend right across to the wall, and served as a seat, a makeshift bed or The Stage. Plays, acts and songs were all performed here. It has always been an odd thing to decorate - it's made of chipboard, painted with gloss paint, so wallpaper paste didn't always stick properly. Time for more cladding.

As with the chimney breast, it's just a case of measure, cut and pin. I ran out of cladding part way through, but it's a filthy February day and I'm not going out in this weather to get some more.

I've painted the wooden surround red, but there will also be stained beading along each edge. I've also given the small window its first coat of red.

You do realise that you are watching paint dry, don't you?

Down with the Workmate and up with the paste table. I am using 2000 grade lining paper for the walls, which I will paint with emulsion paint later. This is something I've done before. It works well if you want a solid colour covering (rather than patterned wallpaper). Choose a heavy grade paper - I'd recommend either 1600 or 2000 grade.

Measure your drop, cut and paste, then leave to rest for five minutes. I'm a paste-the-paper and paste-the-wall too sort of a paperhanger  - I think it gives a little more slip, but it's up to you. Hang the length, smooth with either a brush or a sponge, repeat until finished. Get the major bubbles smoothed out, but don't worry too much about little lumps and bumps, it's only the fibres in the paper swelling and wrinkling (like your fingers and toes do in the bath), and they should disappear when dry. Give it a couple of days minimum to dry thoroughly.

Extremely boring picture of wallpaper drying.

Costs : -
Tongue and groove cladding
Two packs @ £5.84 each                              £11.68

Running total - £78.60